Corporal Punishment..

Corporal Punishment- this term has been a bone of contention among parents, students and educational authorities. Recently, the news channels and newspapers have been flooded with cases of brutality that children face in schools. The public have been shocked and outraged but largely unaware of the many forms in which corporal punishment manifests itself. We need to ask ourselves whether its justified that the young kids are exposed and are victims of such kind of violence. When imparting such forms of punishment do the school authorities take into account the psychological damage that can take place? And perhaps the most shocking fact is that often the punishment children face at home can be equally damaging and can also range into corporal punishment. The combination of such trauma in both school and home can lead to serious damage to the child.

Awareness is very important about this concept. Technically speaking, Corporal Punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain intended to punish a person or to change his behavior. United Nations has undertaken a campaign called” Global Initiative to end all Corporal Punishment of children”. This campaign has set a target to prohibit all forms of violence against children by the year of 2009 including the types they face in their homes. It is a very unfortunate fact that even well meaning many parents also imparts such punishment that is damaging to the kids. Punishment is given by way of correction. But physical damage often does more harm than good. Use of force is justified to transform unacceptable behavior of a child and to express symbolic disapproval so that it is not repeated. But the force must be used in such a manner that it does not inflict any bodily harm.

Race and gender are very significant factors which determine corporal punishment. Statistically speaking, the boys are administered more violent forms of punishment than the girls in home. Even in schools punishment of male students are likely to be more aggressive and severe. Even the possibility of the boys being hit for the same infractions is more than that of the girls. In fact, statistics show that the socio economically weaker children face more corporal punishment. Research proves that such action is potentially counter productive for children and even more so for the boys who in all likelihood tend to develop rebellious attitude. Imparting corporal punishment may for some time persuade one to show compliance but in most cases it does not generate positive long term effects.

Smacking or spanking is the most common form of corporal punishment that takes place at home. In schools this extends to being hit by canes or being slapped. Opponents of Corporal Punishment argue that such form of chastisement is equal to abuse. Psychological research has proved that such sentencing causes deterioration of trust bonds especially between parents and children. It tends to polarize the Parent-Child relationship, reducing the amount of spontaneous cooperation on behalf of the child. The bond between a teacher and a student is more fragile and tentative than the one between parents and off springs. It becomes absolutely vital on the part of the teacher to ensure that the form of chastisement is proper and for the improvement of the child. Disciplining strategies that are used in educational institutions and at homes should not be physically and emotionally hampering to the child.

The attitude of the three parties involved could not be more contrasting. Children believe that such forms reprimand should not be implemented on them. If they are at fault at any point of time, it should be considered as a part of their learning curve. It has to be altered and not penalized. The teachers and educational boards often say that some strict form of disciplining is very crucial and they are for the betterment of the child and are not destructive in nature. Parents generally belong to a very different class in this argument. The most frequent words are that the schools are unjustified to chastise their kids in such an aggressive manner but their own form of punishment cannot be wrong.

History has been witness that children facing severe physical punishment was considered normal curriculum of school. However now it is considered a violation of human rights of children. Therefore the time has come to be actively participate against such social norms that allow young kids to be sufferers of such vicious penalties for their missteps.